Percussion-fuse.



No. 815,958. v

PATENTED MAR, 27, 1906. J. W. HARRIMAN.

PERCUSSION FUSE.

APIfLIGATION FILED APR. 7. 1905.

bwnce a:

tain both in arrp ingit and in exploding the.

. the pin with its inner end projected beyond 'fuse of -this description'whose construction- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. J O SEPH WM. HARRIMAN, OF WASEIE'ION, DISTRICT COLUMBIA.

' PERCUSSION-FUSE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 7, 1905. Serial No. 254,343-

Patented March 27, 1906.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH WM. HARRI- MAN, of Washington, in the District of Co.- lumbia, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Percussion-Fuses; and I do hereby declare that the following is a" full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying draw ings, in which' Figure l is a longitudinal-section of a percussion-fuse embodying my invention, the parts being shown in locked or unarmed position of the fuse. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts in the armed position, and Fig. 3 is a similar view of a different construction of fuse embodying my invention.

My invention relates to that class of fuses in which the firing-pin is retained in an unarmed position by holding devices that are released by centrifugal force due.to the rotation of the projectile given it by firing it from the gun; and my object has been to provide a shall be simple, whose operation shall be cerprimer onirnpact, and which will not premat'fii'ely operate either in the flight of the projectile or at other times; and to these ends my invention consists in the fuse having the construction substantially as hereinafter specified and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, the fuse shell or casing A which I illustrate is of the usual form, it consisting of a tube closed at one end, 7 which is the front .end of the fuse. Within the casing near the front end and closely fitting the same is a cylindrical block B, having a chamber 1), in which is slidably mounted a plunger C, carrying'at its front end a firinginc, the-front end of the cylindrical block B avin a cavity at its center for aprimer D. The pIunge'r C has between its ends an annular groove to form a shoulder a for engagementby one or more radially-movable cylindijcal blocks or pins E, that are slidably mounted each in a radial opening or hole I) in the cylindrical block B and extendin from the chamber 6 to the periphery of the lock. Bearing upon the outer end of each pin is a spring F or other means to yieldingly retain the shoulder c on the plunger 0, and thus restrain the plunger from forward movement.

' The locking-pins E are thrown outward by centrifugal force due to the rotation of the projectile in its flight, and thus release the firing-plunger O or arm the fuse, so that it is in readiness to act to explode the primer when the projectile strikes.

In the rear end of the fuse-casing is slidably mounted a hammer G, that consists of a-cylindrical block that closely fits but is free to slide axially in the casing, and interposed between the hammer and the firing-plunger C is a loose block H, preferably'of the form of a disk or cylinder of sufficiently less diameter than the interior of the casing as to permit the block to move freely in a radial or lateral direction. The function of said loose block is to move the firing-plunger C forward as soon as it is releasedfrom the locking-pins,

but with not force enough to explode the primer, so as to carry the shoulder 0 beyond the locking-pins and to hold the firing-plunger in such position to prevent rengagement with the shoulder c by the locking-pins, and

thus insure that the fuse will be in armed.

position at the time of impact or striking of the projectile. To enable the block H to parform this function, its ends and the ends of thehammer G and the plunger C, which ad join it, are inclined so that lateral movement of the block will result in forward movement of the firing-plunger. I

As shown, a conical depression is formed in eachend'oftheblock,and a corresponding projection is formed on the ends of the hammer and firing-plunger, respectively, so that lateral movement of the block results in its own movement forward, as well as in-forward movement of the firing-plunger. If desired, the inclined surfaces need be provided .only on one end of the block and the endof the adjacent part-either the hammer or the firing-plunger. Inasmuch as the block H does not constitute the hammer for moving the firing-plunger to fire the primer when the projectile strikes, but the hammer consists of p .a separate piece, Whose blow istransmitted through the block to the. firing-plunger, the

blockneed be given a weight only sufiicient to move and hold the firing-plunger forward without danger offirin the primer.

be seen that were the b ock H made to serve as the hammer it would have to be given such weight that there might bedanger of its dismove radiall Y or sidewise under centrifugal force and as y reason of the employment of a separate piece for the hammer the block H can be given a weigh. that will not be sufiicient to move the firing-plunger with force enough to explode the primer, there is no lia bility in the, use of my fuse of premature explosion during the flight of the projectile fromthe cause mentioned. Moreover, by having the inclined or conical surface on the hammer instead of on the rear end of the fuse-casing manufacture is facilitated and cheapened, because of the obviously greater difficulty of making the latter construction.

To supplement the weight of the hammer for moving the firing-plungerfor firing its primer, I may provide/means for subjecting the rear end of the hammer to pressure, which means, as shown in Fig. 1, consist of a cap or primer I, placed in a cavity in the rear end of the hammer, and a firing-pin I. To prevent premature explosion or firing of the cap I, the hammer is restrained from endwise movement by centrifugally-operated means similar to that used for the firing-plunger. Preferably when the construction I have just described is used the hammer is mounted in a chambered cylindrical block L, similar to that used with the firing-plun er, which block closely fits the fuse-case an at its rear closed end carries the firing-pin Z.

upon to actuate it, such chambered block L is not employed,'but, as shown in Fig. 3, the hammer is fitted to the fuse-casing. The capI will be fired should the projectile, fail ing to strike point on, strike in such position-'- as, for exam le, at or near the rear enda s to cause a re atively rearward movement of the plunger G. ,The pressure resulting from the explosion of the cap I under these conditions would of course move the plunger G forward, and thus through the interv osed blocl1 )H move the plunger 0 and explo e the ca i 'Ihe parts within the fuse-casing are rej .taine'd therein by some suitable form of re taining device applied to the forward end of the casing. I refer to use for this purpose a split ring M, w ch after the parts have been assembled in the casing is inserted in the open forward end and sprung behinda shoulder a,

provided on the interior of the casing to re- *tain the split ring. I I Having thus described my iI1V6I1E10I1,'Wl1&lJ Iclaim is.

' 1. In a'fuse, the combination of a firing de- -vice, automatically-unlocked means for restraining said device from firing movement, a hammer, and means for transmitting the When, however, the weight of the hammer alone is dependedbetween the hammer and t having an inclined surface to engage a like surface on the hammer, and movlabll cross- .wise' of the casing-axis.

distances between the same and the straining said device from firing movement, Y

and a hammer means for moving and retaining said firing device after being released, to prevent relocking thereof interposed between the firing device and said hammer.

I 3. In a fuse, the combination of a firing device, automatically-unlocked means for restraining said device from firing movement, a hammer and means for moving and retaining said firing device after being released to pre vent relooking thereof, consisting of a loose block interposed between the firing device and said hammer.

4. In a fuse, the combination of a firing device, automatically-unlocked means for restraining it from movement, a hammer mounted for movement only in the direction in which said firing device is movable, and a part interposed between the hammer and the firing device, of varying thickness, in the direction in which the same are movable, and movable crosswise of such direction.

5. In a fuse, the combination of a firing device, automatically-unlocked means for restraining it from movement, a hammer mounted for movement only in the direction in which said firing device is movable, and a part interposed between the hammer and the 'ng device having an inclined surface to cooperate with a like surface on one of said parts, and movable crosswise of the direction of their movement.

6; Ina fuse,the combination of a casing, a firing device movable axially of the casing, automatically released locking means for said firing device, a hammer movable only axially in the casing, and a Ipart interposed e firing device 7 Ina fuse, the combination ofafiring device, an automatically-unlocked holding means therefor, a hammer movable only in the direction of which said firing device is movable, and a art interposed between said device and said ammer, having inclined surfaces to coact with similar surfaces on each of said parts, and movable crosswise of the direction of movement thereof. I

8. In a fuse, the combination of a firing de-' vice, automatically-unlocked means for restraining it from movement, a hammer for said'firing device, and means for producing an explosion to subject the hammer to pressure to supplement its weight to operate the firing device.

In testimony that IIclaim the foregoing I Q. In a fuse, the combination of a dehave hereunto set my hand.

vice, automatically-unlocked means for re straining said device from movement, a hammer, automaticallyunlocked means for-re- JOSEPH HARRIMAN' 5 straining it from movement, and means for Witnesses: 'producing' an explosioli t0 sub'ect the ham- W. E. WRIGHT,

CHAS. J. WILLIAMSON.

mer to pressure to operate the ing device. 

